Prayers for Caden

My neighbors growing up were this dear Christian couple named Ed and Peggy White. Their son Darin is my age and we have known each other since we were four. Darin's son, Caden, is five years old and was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma. After much treatment and prayers, he has been living cancer free (Praise God) for the last six months. I just received word that the cancer is back and the new tumor is growing rapidly. The doctors are saying that the cancer has developed immunity to it so additional treatments would be ineffective. We fully believe in the power of God to heal Caden, the doctor's have numbered the time in weeks. Please find your knees and pray mightily for this sweet boy and his wonderful family. I have included a link to his website (CADEN WHITE) and encourage you to go there and read the update from the family as I feel my words are so inadequately expressing the situation. My heart breaks for them and my broken heart seems to render my writing senseless.

Prayers Needed

I received an email from my sister today that literally stopped me in my tracks. Here I was late to work because I was home with my 11 month old who had both pink eye AND strep throat. Then I get her email about this unimaginably brave young woman named Stephanie and it put my very small problems into perspective.

I am giving you my friend, Stephanie's, website address. www.stephanievest.com. She is the one I told you that was diagnosed with Gamma Delta lymphoma of the skin. She has been through the ringer....kidney problems, dialysis, fluid-filled lungs, feeding tubes, ventilators, congestive heart failure, and last week they found cancer in her liver via a PET scan. She had two diff. forms of chemo. last week, but her liver did not respond to them. Her liver has stopped performing its normal function of ridding her body of toxins and is solely trying to fight the cancer. Thus, her bilirubin is at a 38 and the toxins are going into her body. The average person goes unconscious at a 15, but our Stephanie has been conscious, even singing hymns as her family and friends held a mini church service around her bed yesterday. She even requested bible verses. She also put on her own chapstick yesterday. Jen, she is so amazing and strong, not only as a person but in her faith as well. Please help me pray for a miracle for her. Please pray that God heal her liver, that He rid her body of the cancer and heal her completely, for her husband, Eric, for her to be able to go home and hug her boys, Zach,7 and Cole, 4 and so that her 4.5 month old daughter, Gracie, will be able to know her mommy. My heart is breaking in two for them. At this time, she is in God's hands. So, all we can do is pray, pray, pray.

Please take a moment to pray for her, her family, the doctors, etc. Check out her website too as it is an amazing testimony for her faith.

Costumed Kids

Like most people last Friday night, we went trick-0r-treating. It was not without drama since Jackson was "strongly opposed" to the grim reaper costumes of a couple of the neighborhood kids but finally he decided that it was fun. Since Gavin isn't walking yet, he just strolled along behind and instead of collecting candy, he just made mental notes for his first official trip next year. I don't have all the pictures yet as I am the only person in the country who still uses a film camera BUT I do have a few quick pics of my costumed kids - ENJOY!

Upping the Intensity...with Pride

I know I know, it has been a while... but when life gets busy, blogging gets left behind. I did have a weigh in today (our final one for this six week period) and I lost one more pound. My total for the six weeks was 11.5 pounds which is good but I was a little disappointed in my turtle like progress. I was venting to my sister, who by the way is a fitness maniac including running marathonS (yes the S is capital on purpose because while I understand the goal fulfilling part of running ONE - a person must be ever so slightly mentally imbalanced to do it....again). She was trying to help my frustrations over the sluggish weight loss and suggested that I try upping the intensity of my workout. Not that I can't up my intensity (because seriously - besides her - who can't??!!??) but I felt the need to tell her about my trip to the gym last Thursday morning.

So I took the day off to clean/get ready for our annual Halloween party over the weekend which involved 18 people at our house for food, games, and a costume contest. Even though a busy day was ahead and I didn't HAVE to get up for work, I went ahead and got up at my usual 4:30 am and (drum roll please) went to THE GYM! (Pick up your jaw and keep reading..). So I was surprised to find that they actually have CLASSES at this insane hour of the morning. Honestly at first I thought – what idiots are getting up at this hour to work out and then I reminded myself that both my sister and mom (yes the sickness is hereditary and apparently I didn't get that gene) get up very early and I get up that early for work so…okay not idiots – maybe zealots is a nicer word. ANYWAY, I guess it was too early to have sound judgment because I decided to take this 30 minute “Core Training” class also known by its longer name “Midsection Torture: How to Feel Completely Fat and Uncoordinated”. I survived the class taught by a woman who weighed as much as my right arm and was so proud of myself that I decided to stay for the next class that she was teaching – a ONE HOUR (I would use bigger than capital letters here for the type of emphasis I mean) step class. Now I have taken step before and am a fairly coordinated person but suffice to say it has been a LONG time. At one point in the class she looked DIRECTLY at me when she said “how y’all doing – everybody okay? Take a break if you need to – this is a long class”. Hmmm…. needless to say I was VERY sore the next day and I haven’t been back. It was not that Fitness Barbie the instructor wasn’t good, I just think I need to only do that class on a monthly basis…if nothing else than for my own pride.

Huffman Hallolympics 2008

I'm Walkin', Yes Indeed

Yes another song title but come on, watch the video below and tell me you don't sing that song in your head!

Yep, can you believe it, Gavin at 11 months has started taking some steps. They may be assisted steps, and we may lack a little in the graceful department but we are putting one foot in front of the other....metaphorically AND literally speaking! And just for comparison sake, you can see an eerily similar version of Jackson (at 13 months) back in 2005.

I did have to laugh at the fact that although it is the same toy, Gavin's is mysteriously minus the fun little characters and part of one wheel is broken...poor second kid. I do want to point out however that I was able to capture him doing this on video the very first time I saw him....no reenactment needed (come on moms - admit it, us second kids get a lot of after-the-fact documentation! Sniffle, sniffle...they grow up so fast!

Suggested Reading...

Maybe it is the weather and the hint that we will get to have a fall before Christmas this year or maybe it is because our family is on this treadmill of activities lately but the thought of curling up with a good book just sounds so inviting - doesn't it? I happened on to a book review/summary and wanted to share. I haven't read the book myself but her descriptions of the main points sounds like it is one that I could sorely use! Man don't you just love it (and hate it at the same time) when someone boils life down to just eight pure and simple steps? Why do we have to make things so complicated!?!

Here is what I gleaned from...
A Wife After God's Own Heart, by Elisabeth George:

#1 First things first - my own relationship with God - how is it? I can't work on anything else til I'm sure that's growing in the direction it needs to be. Like any other relationship, it requires time invested, time spent together, regularly.

#2 Husband and I need to be a team, and someone has to be in charge. God said husband is, whether I like that every single day, whether the rest of the world out there agrees or not. He leads, I follow. My job is to help, follow, respect and love him. I don't worry over what his job is, I just do mine. Our team comes before
anything else in life, except our own personal relationships with God.

#3 We need to communicate well, and there's always going to be room for improvement. My words are to be soft, sweet, suitable and scant. My son, who is soft-spoken and short on words, told me he decided years ago not to talk much because he realized he'd get in less trouble that way. Smart boy!

#4 Continue to make intimacy a priority, even if it means getting out the calendar and scheduling it. If I'm continually 'too tired' then I need to look at my priorities..... husband has told me he thinks as we get older, there are many areas that fit the 'use it or lose it' bill, and this is one!

#5 My money is his money. If I am wasting my money I'm wasting his money too. How we spend our money is a great megaphone of where our heart is. We decided many years ago, (after I bought a new washer without consulting him) if an item was $100 or more then we'd discuss it with the other before making a purchase. I think that's still a good rule to follow.

#6 Make the bed, every day. Our home is to be a refuge, a welcoming place to come in from the storm of life. Little things make a difference. Again, if I don't 'have time' to care for our home then I need to look at how I'm spending my time. Making beds, making a to-do list every day, planning menus, etc. all honor his efforts to provide for us, and make our home a nicer place to spend time.

#7 My relationship with my children continues after they are grown, and comes before all other relationships except that with my husband. I loved reading this! My children, and their spouses and their children - time, money, prayer - all are to continue to be invested in them. Elisabeth called it, 'befriending' them. This was one of my favorite chapters in the book, especially now that our children are grown and a delight to spend time with.

#8 Serving the Lord falls after my personal relationship with God, my husband, my children. I'm to make sure I'm baking cookies that stay at home before I'm busy baking cookies to deliver to VBS. This one area is so easy to mess up, and I'd love some redo on it. I don't get any do-overs, but I can look at my calendar today and be sure it's in order. I'm to serve, but not at a level that causes me to neglect higher priorities. Overall, great book, very readable, very encouraging!

Now if I could just find time for reading...I did see a woman at the gym with a book on the elliptical machine. That could spell disaster for me....we'll have to see if I am coordinated enough for that. Speaking of the gym, for those of you who are keeping score, Wednesday brought another 1.5 loss so I am back to my total of 9.5 pounds down!

Good Mom, Bad Mom

I'm feeling a little deflated since the weigh in today didn't go exactly as I would have hoped (1.5 pound gain) so I decided to post this great devotion I received from my sister the other day which lifted my spirits....ENJOY!

Good Mom, Bad Mom, Good Mom
Lysa TerKeurst

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the
strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:26 (NIV)

Good Mom? Bad Mom?
Good Mom? Bad Mom?

Do you ever feel as though you are the ping-pong ball in a heated match bouncing constantly between feeling like a good mom to a bad mom?

One minute I have a great discussion where my child finally gets it... GOOD MOM! The next I get an e-mail from a teacher that lists the three parents who have yet to turn in that permission slip and I am on the list for all the world to see... BAD MOM! I calmly handle the stresses of the morning routine... GOOD MOM! But then during the afternoon homework session, my child's irresponsibility over a last minute project just about sends me over the edge. I find my neck muscles tensing and my voice rising... BAD MOM! I make sure they pack something healthy for lunch... GOOD MOM! The schedule falls apart in the late afternoon and I wind up feeding them sugar cereal for dinner... BAD MOM! Sometimes I feel like that ping-pong ball mom bouncing from feeling good to bad. Yesterday morning I sat down at the kitchen table after getting everyone where they needed to be and cried. Sometimes having kids is the greatest thing that has ever happened in my life. Other days I feel like the task of parenting little people is driving me to the brink of craziness. Just the other day I was processing some recent family things with my friend, Renee, over the phone. Suddenly a strange theme seemed to arise. I just started laughing. I told Renee that so many of my days seemed to tell the same kind of story... I was on the verge of a breakdown and then I spent time with Jesus and He made things better. Renee quipped back to me, "Well, isn't that where most of us live every day?" Not that we are on the edge of a breakdown, but we live in a place of utter dependence on God. I know as a mom, I live in constant need of His love, encouragement, wisdom, perspective, strength, patience, and grace. Anything I do right as a mom is because of my constant dialogs with God. Anything I do wrong as a mom is because of trying to do things in my own strength and slap wearing myself out. That's where grace steps in. And I need lots of grace. God's grace steps in and says, “Lysa, you are doing better than you think. Stop bouncing from feeling good to bad to good to bad. In the good times, rejoice and thank me. In the not so good times, call out to me quickly." And suddenly it occurred to me; with God I'm never a bad mom. I might be having a bad moment... or two... or seventeen. But a few bad moments do not define me as a bad mom. God's grace is there to cover me. Teach me. And even in the middle of a bad moment, interrupt me, redirect me, and change me. Forgiveness is there. Love is there. A second chance is there.

You are a good mom my friend even if, like me, you’ve had a few bad moments... you is the exact mom God knew your children needed. Let's live in that truth today.

Dear Lord, being a mom is a great privilege but one that can be so challenging at times. Teach me how to lean on You with every action and every reaction. And when I mess up, please help me to not define myself by my mommy failures. Help me to only be defined by Your love that assures me and Your grace that covers me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

The Terrible Two's...

Okay so this just might be the shortest post in the history of my blog. I have a meeting that is breaking for lunch but before I go back, I did want to respond to the throngs of curious readers (okay maybe just one or two people but "throngs" sounded so much more exciting) about today's Biggest Loser weigh in. It is Week #2 for us and if you watch the TV version you know that this week can be very bad. I would like to point out that one of the contestants (who by the way had no other job, kids, life or otherwise to deter him from the sole purpose of eating right and exercising) actually gained 3 pounds. Further proving my point they said that in the entire history of the show, no one has even so much as lost more than 2% of their body weight. So preparing myself by keeping all of that in mind and forgetting the rather motivating number I got the first week, I stepped on the scale and was not too disappointed to only have lost 1 pound. It was a loss, which is gratefully moving in the right direction, so I will take it...and gladly. More importantly, I am starting to see and feel the results and that makes me happy. A friend of mine is starting the Biggest Loser this week, her company weigh in is tomorrow so I say "Win Sara"...or would that be "Lose Sara"....anyway, you get the idea. Short post huh...well I guess it is all relative!

Wednesday weigh in...

Since I said I would give an update I figured I had better post today about the first official weigh in for our company's version of the Biggest Loser. Mostly I wanted to post because I wanted to specifically thank some people for their motivation and support. First and foremost, I couldn't do this AT ALL without my wonderful husband. He has really been supportive to me and been great about giving me the time I need in the evening to get a workout in. I have posted before about my schedule but suffice to say that the first chance I have to exercise during the week is at 8ish in the evening which is inconveniently also the time when the kitchen needs cleaned, the kids need bathed and put to bed, and preparations need to be made for the next day. I just can't thank him enough for the extra help. Also I know that there are those out there (and you know who you are) that are praying for me everyday and have sent me encouraging emails or called me to pep me up. There is nothing as motivating as having your own cheering section and knowing that there are people who will be excited for you when you succeed and there to motivate you to continue when the chips are down (ahhhhh....chips - sorry I think I just drooled a little). So it is with humble thanks to others that I tell you that I lost 8.5 pounds! I don't expect to have these same results every week (anyone who watches the real Biggest Loser knows that the first week is always big because of water weight and other things which include your body saying "what in the sam dickens are you doing for pete's sake!"...at least that's the way mine talks to me) but a loss is a loss and I will take it! Hopefully I will have more good news - no matter how small...or big...or - well you know, to report next Wednesday.

A Family First!

Well this weekend we finally finished Jackson's first school project. And in a very poignant stroke of fate, my mom and dad ran into my grade school "gifted program" teacher at a football game. I remember her as this wonderfully creative, supportive, and high energy person and apparently she is still exactly the same. Sometimes I just have to marvel how life can be so full circle. Before I get too "Lion King- the circle of life" on you, I will get back to the real purpose of this post which was THE PROJECT! The assignment was to create an "All About Me" poster complete with cut out pictures, personal drawings, and writing. It was given as a family project but I did my best not to"take over" and resisted the urge to really display my creative prowess to the teacher (do we ever grow out of that need to impress the teacher - I guess not....and yes my gifted teacher Ms. Gilcrest would have been proud). I did however let Jackson use my new Cricut machine which he now thinks is "Awesome"...to which I responded "isn't it?!?...be sure to tell daddy you think so". He was really proud of his poster when it was done and to be quite honest so was I! Not just proud of the end product but more proud that I managed to keep him focused on completing it. I mean seriously people, the attention span of a 4 1/2 year old could be tested by this kind of thing! The other great thing to come out of this little venture was an appreciation by my son for the experience that is... Hobby Lobby. Again, I got the retort "This is awesome" since he got to pick out a set of colored pencils, a glue stick, and even a spare piece of poster board (simple pleasure people, simple pleasures). It is by far the best $9.72 that I have ever spent there and I even managed to come up with a reasonable explanation as to why you need something "just for decoration" and why fake flowers don't have a smell. Anyway, in case you are actually still reading this long-winded introduction, here are the pictures!

Jackson and his finished product!

A close up...

The "stats"... with blanks as instructed.

His picture of a football helmet, football, and field ("even though ours just has one goal post momma, I want this one to have two"). And yes, (gag) the middle of the field has an OU.

I had to keep him from cutting out the entire "pink side" of the catalog...but honestly, we really struggled with the "not like" list.

Okay now don't ask me where he came up with these, I just wrote them down exactly as he said them...

Unlike the "not like" category, we could have filled a whole page with the "like" category!

D-Day

So today is the day. Things at work have been pretty busy (hence the lack of posts) but aside from my engineering tasks, today is D-Day for a program my company is doing that I'm sure you've all heard of - "The Biggest Loser". As many of you know, I am not a huge reality TV buff but I do love a "feel good" story as much as the next person so that show is one that I watch from time to time. I have decided to participate in our company's version since I need to lose weight/get in shape and as one of my dear friends put it - it appeals to my competitive nature. We will have weekly weigh-ins on Wednesdays so I will try to remember to do a quick post then to update you on my progress. You can do your part by praying for my progress and also forgiving me for the longing stare at your pasta and drooling over bread if we are eating dinner together. Otherwise, "I'll see you on the beach"! (sorry - I felt the need to quote the movie Saving Private Ryan since the title of my post was D-Day....and no thank heavens you will NOT catch me on the beach any time in the near future unless they are filming some sort of documentary called "Beached Whales - and the People who Look Like Them").

On a side note, I had lunch with my sister on Monday and can I just say - I love her. We have never done that before that we can remember but she was in town "on business" (don't get me started people - she was here to take clients to the Monday night football game I mean seriously - she gets PAID for this!!) and it was so refreshing to have it just be the two of us...no kids, no spouses, no parents (although we did have to call our mom twice to share a laugh). We sat on the patio (in 80 degree weather) at Cafe Express for two hours and even though it felt like five minutes...it was heavenly!

A perfect day for football

So just to further solidify our family as official sports geeks (as if "Huffman Field" wouldn't do that all by itself!) I wanted to post some pictures from our Labor Day weekend in Kansas. My parents have season tickets at KU, thanks to their wonderful friends the Magnusons, and thanks to a few more of their friends, they were able to score tickets for Gavin and I as well. Now don't get me started on why a 10 month old who is sitting on a lap the entire time has to have a ticket because I could do a whole post on that!! We participated in the pregame tailgating at a booster tent and then enjoyed the pregame rituals like the band's march down Campanile hill, a visit with the Big J and Baby J, the cheerleaders, and the players entrance. This was Gavin's first game and he did awesome! He took a quick cat nap before the festivities began and then dutifully sat through all four quarters without so much as a fuss - a TRUE Huffman!! The weather was fantastic and our seats were in the shade...all in all, a perfect day for football!

I'm ready for the game - check out my new jersey!

Me with my two biggest fans - Grandpa & Grandma!!

The Ladies - they love me!

I like this Big J - what about you Grandma!?

Baby J is my favorite!!

Go Jayhawks!

Hey there's the quarterback - #5 just like me!

Grandma's arms - the perfect place for a quick nap!

ROCK CHALK!

Happy Anniversary!

Today my husband and I celebrate our 9th Anniversary. He is my perfect partner in so many ways and I truly can't imagine life without him. Our marriage has weathered storms like graduate school, surgery, difficult pregnancy, parenting two kids, moving, starting a new business, and the pulls of extended family. These storms though did not leave us hail damaged or wind worn, instead they left in their wake a flood of commitment, respect and love. I found the words to the closing prayer given at our wedding and was amazed to find that even nine years later the words rang so true.

"O God of Love, You have established marriage for the welfare and happiness of all. It was Your plan and only with Your help can we work it out with joy. You were the one who said "It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." By bringing us together as husbands and wives You have doubled our joys since the happiness of one is the happiness of the other and our burdens now are halved since when we share them, we divide the load.

Bless Eric and sustain him in all the responsibilities and pressures of daily life. May he find strength in knowing You intimately and may his strength be Kara's protection, his character be her boast and pride. Dear Lord enable Eric to love in such a way that Kara will find in him an example of Your love. A giving, self-sacrificing love; full of strength and honesty tempered with compassion.

Bless Kara, give her a tenderness that will make her great, a deep sense of understanding & a strong faith in You. Give her that inner beauty of soul that never fades. The unfading beauty of a gently and humble spirit, which is of great worth in Your sight.

Preserve them from expecting that perfection which belongs to You alone. Enable them to minimize each other's weakness, by learning to praise and magnify one another's strong points and gifts. Help them to see each other through a lover's kind and patient eyes. Give them enough tears to keep them tender, enough hurts to keep them human, enough failures to keep them constantly dependent on Thee, and enough wisdom to humbly see You as the source of all their success. Make sure they walk with You. May they never take each other's love for granted but always experience that breathless wonder that exclaims "out of all this world, you have chosen me."

And when life is done and the sun is setting may they be found then, as now,hand in hand, thanking God for each other. May they serve You happily,faithfully, together, until the last one shall commit the other to Your eternal care, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

I love you Eric, and I look forward to what God has in store for our next 9 years and the 99 more after that! I hope you look at the verse engraved in your wedding band (Philippians 1:3) and know that it is truer today than yesterday and even more tomorrow.



Our Honeymoon in the Canadian Rockies, Sept. 1999

Are you ready for some football!?!?

In case you haven't noticed, the college football season is under way! If you have been reading in my blog for very long, you know that my family is certifiable when it comes to sports. (SIDE NOTE: Case in point of this sports obsession was yesterday when I was at the store with the kids and my four year old pointed out this teeny tiny picture on the cover of one of 20 some magazines at the checkout stand and said "hey look Momma - it's Michael Phelps". Okay so maybe we had the TV on a little too much during the Olympics but oh well.) Yes we love our sports and according to my husband, there is none more sacred than college football...oh yes and let's be more specific...Oklahoma Football - because (prepare to gag) "There's only 1 Oklahoma"...and with that the brainwashing begins. So after saying all of this, it should be no surprise that two weekends ago (sorry for the late pictures and posting) in preparation for the opening weekend, we (and of course that means Eric and Jackson) built what we now call - HUFFMAN FIELD. The field made its inaugural debut last year and has KU at one end (for my alma mater) and OU at the other end for my husband. You will notice this year's obvious additions of a longer and wider field, goal post (constructed of PVC pipe and painted yellow) complete with wind direction flags, and pads for the goal post and surrounding trees. Overboard....probably. Impressive....could be. Fun for the kids....absolutely. Satisfying the kid in my husband...most definitely. It is the kind of harmless fun that comes when a shared passion emerges between generations in a family. MY contribution you might ask....well aside from taking video (behind the yellow "media line" of course), cheering while my 4 year old kicked an actual field goal (5 to be exact)... I did the lettering on the goal post pad. This only proved to demonstrate to my husband the "need" for the Cricut lettering machine I have been wanting - score for me! Anyway, here are the pictures...I give you - HUFFMAN FIELD!!

Daddy outlines....Jackson fills in

The finished product!

The OU endzone, goal post and pad, pylon, etc.

Credit where credit is due...

I've been out of town and have LOTS to post about the comings and goings at the Huffman House but I will save that all for later (since I have over 100 emails currently in my inbox - that's what you get for being gone from the office for 3 days I guess). What I did want to make a quick post about is THE NEW LAYOUT! I have to give credit where credit is due and tell you that a "friend of a friend" named Tracy did the layout for me. I was excited to finally have a blog space that did a little better job of reflecting the Huffman House! You like????

How to Be Somebody - Age 4

Okay quick funny story that I had to share about my 4 year old Jackson. He has always been a talker, question asker, and overall thinker. Yesterday when I picked him up from school he was building this tower which he told me was "3 bedrooms (no mommy - not stories) high, with a small castle on that, and then the statue of liberty on top". Very creative, I thought to myself...then as we were driving home we proceeded to talk about the new class he is in with the kindergarten teacher (she is teaching the older pre-k kids this year) which he thinks is BIG time. We passed by one of the local high schools and he said that once he finished Ms. Nina's class, he would go to high school. "No sweetie, first you will go to elementary school", I politely corrected. "And then I go to high school?" "No actually then you go to middle school - like the one right by our house" "Oh yeah....and THEN I go to high school?!". As a mom who will take any opportunity to plant the seed of higher education I added "And then...you will go to college". To which he so sweetly added "yeah mommy I'm gonna go to college and THEN I'm gonna BE somebody." (long pause while I smile to myself and mentally pat my husband and I on the back for creating this obvious love of education in our son. Maybe the tower he built today means he wants to be an architect - maybe the next Frank Lloyd Wright - I was swelling with pride at the thought). And then, as a four year old probably should...he brought me back down from my parental cloud nine and said "I'm gonna really be somebody....like....a race car driver". Hmmm....now in the past he has said that he wanted to do things like be a doctor, a physical therapist like daddy, a vet, but no...today it was - race car driver. Being a thoughtful (and I'll admit tired) mommy, I decided to spare him the discussion that it isn't like the movie Cars and about how only a very small handful of drivers make any kind of money at that "profession". No I thought I would let him be 4 for the day.... since being 4 means that I'm sure his mind will change tomorrow. That is to say it will change back to the other oh so likely professions he has chosen... football player, drummer, baseball player, etc. Ah what it means to "be somebody" at age 4.

Cruisin' on a Sunday Afternoon

Okay so it wasn't Sunday afternoon...but he is for sure CRUISIN' and hey it was another music title!! Take a look at the video below of my "not so baby-like" baby.

NOTES:
1. Yes the shrieking sounding (and very annoying voice) is yours truly. Why is it that we have owned a video camera for well over a decade and I can't seem to remember that when you are filming - you can be heard...VERY clearly!
2. Yes that is an OU football pylon (sub-note: for those non-sports types, a pylon are those things that are at the four corners of the end zones that help signify a touchdown.)
3. Yes we are crazy about sports and in unparalleled anticipation for the impending football season, we have a mini end zone set up in our living room in order to run routes and practice the art of the over the shoulder pass....pinkies together - not thumbs!
4. Yes my dear husband is responsible for the SEVERE brainwashing towards Oklahoma football (although I will share my secret inner joy in hearing my son tell him over the weekend "Daddy let's play and I will be Kansas" :) - there's hope people...there's hope!)
5. Yes this is the first time I have posted a video (pardon the quality...not only have we had a video camera for over a decade - it is the same video camera. It's good but the whole digital video thing was new at the time) - hope it works!!

Ch-ch-changes

I knew the day would come when I would no longer feel like I had a "baby" anymore...I just wasn't prepared for it to happen quite so soon. I admit that sometimes I am still even in denial about my four year old not being a baby. The latest conviction that he is 4 (going on 14) was after he made a trip to the Kane house and hung out with his much older cousins (high school age). Jackson went with one of the guys to get their haircut and he got a haircut too. He has now informed me that he doesn't want to go to the cute/fun/geared for toddlers haircut place that he has been going to since his very first haircut (see picture - sniffle sniffle) but instead he said "Momma, I want to get my hair cut at Sport Clips". He might as well have said he was going to get a crew cut and join the army!

Then as if not to be out done by his big brother, my 81/2 month old (I could say nine since it will be in three days but clearly I'm not ready people) has decided that he is too old for that baby food stuff and wants whatever we are eating. It has been a while since I have done the table-food-for-a-baby-thing so I began with the cereals and have been starting to explore the fruits. He is ALL ABOUT IT...even gets this excited/anxious little whimper whenever he sees a cereal box. We've done Rice Krispies (thanks for the suggestion Rachelle), Cheerios, Kix (I'm hoping that since they are "kid tested - mother approved" that means approved for babies as well), Wagon Wheels, and Mum Mums. And his votes are yes, more, now, and keep it coming! The fruits were equally as welcomed and we have tried bananas, grapes, and peaches...mainly because that is what we had on hand. Last night he even ate over a quarter of a peach all by himself! I have never considered myself a "baby person" but I must admit that I can't believe that we are already where we are...my the times they are a changing!

"Talk to Me, Goose"

I saw this on another blog recently and thought it was interesting. This isn't meant to be philosophical or particularly humorous and yes it does change dramatically from day to day. Here are my 10 Things I Say to Myself (today)....what are yours??

1. Man I'm tired, but if I get up now, I will have time to stop at Starbucks... the "snooze button" is for procrastinators, that's what E would say.
2. If I did one page layout every day, that's 30 pages in a month, 12 months in a year, subtract holidays, add time for the retreat, I'd realistically be caught up.....hmmm - let me start over - that math doesn't seem right.
3. I need a hair cut, why do I only remember to call her when it is 6:00 in the morning...I'm guessing she is not a morning person.
4. I'm hungry, I wonder if my fruit is cold yet.
5. What time is it? Wow - time flies...whether you are having fun or not!
6. Sometimes I am sooo my mom and then sometimes I am sooo my dad - goodness I love my family! Blessed.blessed.blessed!
7. What did we do before the Internet? How did we find anything...and more importantly, how did we avoid paying full price for things!?!
8. Computers can make or break your day...I don't know why but Ebay scares me...I need to post pictures on my blog because G is killing me with his cuteness!
9. Music is sooooo therapeutic....I LOVE my "Shuffle" (and my sister for gifting it to me).
10. Why is my memory so bad...ugh that is frustrating!!

Okay I think I talk too much...to myself. Does blogging count as talking to yourself - I sure hope not. I guess it isn't as long as someone else comments (proof that someone besides yourself saw the words). I need to get to work... (thought #11).

8-6-7-5-3-0-9

My brain was shocked into life this morning at the sound of a number. Not the sound of a crashing car, not a baby crying, not a news story of gun shots, just a simple seemingly harmless number.

109.

Seems innocent enough....I guess it wasn't the poor number's fault but the combination of it and the word that followed. Degrees. Yes, 109 degrees is supposed to be the heat index today. When I was pulling out of the garage this morning I had just turned on the radio and that was what greeted me. I started sweating just thinking about it even though I was driving in air conditioned comfort. I do know intuitively that you reach a point where hot is hot and a few extra degrees doesn't make a difference but there is something just wrong about a three digit temperature. And I love how they try to make it sound so benign by saying things like "well the high should only be 99...it will just FEEL like it is 109". Okay seriously, two things bug me about that statement. A: the use of the word "only" like 99 is just a perfectly reasonable temperature that no one should be complaining about - perrrrfectly comfortable - I wish it was 99 ALL the time!?!? And 2: Someone please explain to me the necessity of the heat index. I mean do any of us really care what the actual temperature is - no - we just want to know how we are going to feel in that temperature. If the actual temperature was 70 but the heat index was 109 - it isn't like we would wear a jacket!?! I know I know, I live in Texas and heat comes with the territory...I just think that the weather guy should quit trying to sugar coat it with an actual temperature and just give it to me straight - I'm a big girl I can handle it. So it's gonna feel like 109 today??....okay...I think I'm going to cry! (so much for the big girl).

Isn't it Ironic...

Aside from Alanis' angry side, I did think the title was appropriate for this blog as my dear husband and I spent the greater portion of the weekend cleaning the house (wait for it)..... before the cleaning lady comes this week. I don't have a regular house keeper but since I am hosting 13 people for a scrapbook retreat this coming weekend we decided to call in some reinforcements to get things squeaky clean. Having never used a cleaning lady in my life, I don't know if this is just common practice but while "picking up" before she comes makes complete sense, "cleaning" seems a little counterintuitive - no? I know I should never complain about my husband's propensity for cleaning but it did strike me as funny when I asked him about what he was doing and his response was "well I just want things to be clean when she gets here"...and by "she" - he of course meant the cleaning lady who by definition sees houses NOT clean all the time. The even funnier part, if you knew us, is that our house stays pretty put together all the time since the two adults living there are a neat freak and a wife of one. The one task that doesn't get done as often as it should is the dusting. While I can come home on any given day to find fresh vacuum lines on the floor, his idea of dusting is waving a rag in the general direction of the dust and hoping that the dust actually jumps on in the nano-second that the rag is there. Now I have heard of dust "wands" that are supposed to "attract" the dust but hmmm....just call me skeptical! I tried to think of other ironic/futile things we do like cleaning before the cleaning lady comes and here where the things that I came up with:

1. Showering in Texas in the middle of August (I mean you're just gonna walk outside of your room and sweat right!?!?)
2. Touching a hot plate at a restaurant after someone just told us "this plate is hot" (don't know if this is ironic - or just stupid but we all do it!)
3. Reading the book before you go see the movie (this is just one I have never personally understood because either way you are ruining the other one - right??)

So what am I forgetting? What are some of your favorites? Help me with this list.....

Hello...is it me you're looking for?

Yes I'm back to the music titles...and I thought that not only was the title appropriate since I have been slacking on my writing lately but also thought that this time of morning, a little Lionel Richie sounded easy on the ears. I am in the midst of life right now, nothing exciting per say, just the busy pace of working full time, taking care of two kids and a husband, and trying not to fall asleep standing up or "bark" too loudly at random strangers. I did have a small funny story to share...well at least it was funny to me, maybe a little bit sad, but funny. I digress...

My schedule is a little strange...I am trying to maintain full time status at my engineering firm, so in order to have a day at home with the kids on Friday, I go into work Monday through Thursday at a little before 6:00 am (which with my commute means waking at the ghastly hour of 4:30). I leave the office at 5:00 pm in order to pick the kids up by 6:00, since that is when their school closes. Since I would be arriving home about 6:15 to even start to cook something for dinner and since the hubby isn't due home for another hour and a half (hence leaving me to wrangle the two kids - while cooking), I have been known to find dinner somewhere a little more convenient than our kitchen. My need to give you all of that background just goes to show you that I do have a little bit of guilt for not performing my wife/motherly duty of providing sustenance for the family. On to the funny part of the story (seriously people, I have a wordiness and clearly a focus problem!).

So I picked the kids up from school and I knew I had some chicken thawed in the fridge so I was mapping out in my mind what I was going to cook and how to feed the baby and not give him a little salmonella with his baby food. As we pulled away and headed home, my four year old calls from the back seat "Momma can we go eat Chili's??” While I did think to myself that a Mesquite Chicken Salad sounded mighty tasty, I knew that I should cook what I had at home so I replied "No sweetie, we aren't going to eat at a restaurant". To which he seemed to instantly turn from 4 into a 14 year old and said "No Mom, I mean CURB-SIGHT TO GO". I had to bite my lip to contain the laughter...first that he was so adamant about it and second that he would even know what curbside pick up was...even though to him it was curb "sight". I squelched my laughter to just a chuckle and said "Clearly buddy - you eat out waaaaay too much".

From the mouths of children - I swear! They keep us honest don't they?? Honest...and humored!

Just Stop!

I was reading another blog this morning and a good portion of it really struck me as something that I needed to hear and I thought everyone else could use too! Now my "stop it" moments are not necessarily in the primary examples that were given but I sure have them.

Sometimes we just need to STOP IT. Just plain stop it. We don't need to keep praying over it. We don't need to keep deliberating it. We don't need one last shot at it. We don't need five more years of counseling over it. We flat need to stop it. Like, for instance,

*If we're married and we're flirting with somebody at work (calling it harmless), we need to stop it.

*And, Lord have mercy, if any of us are having affairs, we need to stop it NOW. With every second that goes by, the consequences are mounting. Please do not let the enemy trick you into thinking you're getting away with it. You're not. Don't rationalize it. Don't tell me what a jerk your husband is and how you're finally in love for the first time. Get some fear of God and stop it.

*If we're being a brat about something, we need to stop it.

*If we're still punishing somebody for what they did to us, we need to stop it. Enough is enough. Let God deal with them.

*If we're trying to do God's job with somebody, we need to stop it. No Scripture says it more succinctly and exactly than Isaiah 1:16b: "Stop doing wrong." Hear the voice of God say, "I've warned you and warned you and warned you. STOP IT." I say this as a woman to whom sometimes a brief, "STOP IT NOW!" works better than anything.

I know I needed that - how about you?

Me, I've been a long time gone...

Forgive the music reference once again in the title...it is just the way I am wired. Seriously people if they taught engineering classes to music, I probably would have enjoyed college a WHOLE lot more...and done a whole lot better at it! At any rate, I'm sure you've been wondering where I took off too...or maybe you haven't (let's not be too narcissistic here) but I have missed my blogging. After nine days away from home, seven of which were spent traveling by myself with a 7 month old and a 4 year old a total of 27 hours and 1650 miles in the car - I'm feeling a little like I need a vacation from my vacation. I could post a thousand pictures and tell a thousand blog worthy stories from our trip, but to be quite frank - I'm tired. The thought of having nothing on the agenda for this weekend just sounds heavenly. Okay well not "nothing"...speaking of heavenly, my oldest son will be attending Vacation Bible School for the first time. Brings back a flood of memories for me....I just LOVED to go to VBS as a kid. That was probably because nothing could have been geared more towards me - I mean c'mon people, aside from the Bible teaching, which granted is the most important part, VBS can basically be divided up into three categories: 1. Snacks (food - good, like it) 2. Crafts (yep, that's me, love it) 3. Music (um hello - perfect!, teach me anything). It should be fun for me...oops I mean him (wink wink). I will post pictures of it (and everything else) as soon as I can. Did I mention that I came home to a husband with mono?!? Hmmmm....I wonder if there is a church around here who has VBS for adults!?!?

Lake Lessons

We went with a group of 22 adults and 19 kids to Lake Conroe this weekend (sounds scary doesn't it - we were quite the crew). It was tons of fun and here are some pictures and some observations from the weekend.

1. The best way to tire out your child is to spend the ENTIRE day swimming.
2. Fish do not eat grapes for breakfast.
3. The volume and octave of women's voices is exponentially more than men's.
4. Men become boys instantaneously when surrounded by video games or water balloons.
5. If you are over 35, your limbo days are numbered...on one hand.

The incredible group at Incredible Pizza...

OUR incredible group!

Kid Karaoke...

Fishing from our balcony with Great Grandpa's rod and reel...

An old fashioned sack race...

Time at the pool

A Lifestyle fast...

Our church is involved in a series right now called "One Prayer". It has been really interesting and this past Sunday we got to hear a really good speaker named Craig Groeschel who said that his one prayer was for the church to be united, not distracted by all the things around us. As part of that for this week, we are participating in what he calls a lifestyle fast. Here is the church's explanation of it:

"What is a Lifestyle Fast?This week, we’re going to fast from
those things that may consume our time and resources and stand in our way of
truly connecting with God. For many of us, this will mean fasting from
technology. Not necessarily all technology, but those things that keep you from
spending time with God. Maybe you watch too much television or surf the web
aimlessly. For others, it could be shopping, sports or another hobby or pastime
that can distract you from what’s most important. Whatever that thing is for
you, take a week off. And instead, give that time to God."

In an effort to do that, this post will be my only one for the week as I am going to fast from television and the Internet. Don't miss read me, I don't think blogs are bad, or technology is bad, it was just something that I do spend a decent amount of time involved in and could manage to do without for a week. So if you are a person who reads this blog regularly (I may only be speaking to my husband here) than I would encourage you to take the time you would have spent reading this blog and instead, as they say, give that time to God. I will let you know next week how it all went for me!

Like I said...

I was engaged in casual conversation this morning and found myself using the word "propensity", to which my coworker confirmed that I have been using that word with an odd degree of frequency. He said that it seemed to have replaced another one of my common phrases "of some description". Being a wordy person by nature, I'm not surprised to learn that I have a few staples in my vocabulary. It reminded me of my pastor who did a recent post on his blog about his "go to phrases". It got me to thinking - what would make someone utter the words "...now that sounds just like something Kara would say..."?? Some of these words and phrases may have originated with other people, but in an effort not to point fingers, I will take the blame for my own excessive use:

• "Seriously..."
• "People..."
• "C'mon People" or a combination of the two above "Seriously people"
• "Clearly"
• "Shut up..." (used to express shock - never as a way to tell someone to be quiet)
• "...as the case may be"
• "A. ___ and 2.__"
• "Ya think?"
• "a propensity for"
• "of some description"
• "Dude" (just like the commercials - this can be used as several parts of speech and in several instances depending on the vocal inflection)

Can you think of any others? I'm sure there are words or phrases of mine that I don't even realize I use. And don't kid yourself people - we all have them...what are yours?

Wet Weekend in the Woodlands...

I finally got my pictures uploaded from our trip to the Kane house for Matt's graduation party. They have a gorgeous pool in their backyard and it was Jackson's first dip (or shall I say PLUNGE) for the season and boy was he excited. I think we were there a sum total of ten minutes before he ask if we could get in. You will see from the pictures that they have a big shallow area (a perfect combination of "zero entry" and "steps") and Jackson could have spent all day there "swimming". I couldn't find his goggles on our way out the door so I picked up a cheap pair and while he insisted they fit fine and wanted mommy to leave them alone, they pulled his eyes so tight that his nickname could have been the Shanghai Kid! (you will note the red marks they left around his eyes). I did take the opportunity to try teaching him to dive and to my surprise he did pretty good. We start formal swim lessons this Friday so that should be exciting...for everyone. Our other water boy enjoyed the pool as well. Good ol' Aunt Debby had gotten Gavin a Cars float to ride around the pool in and he looked like he was an old man just out for a Sunday drive. When he started looking a little prune-y around the edges we got him out but if we hadn't, he was content to just sit in the car all afternoon and watch the boys play football in the pool. A very fun and wet weekend in the Woodlands!

Swimming and Diving













Cousin Matt at Quaterback...Cousin Mike at Receiver







Gavin crusin' and hanging with Uncle Tom

Everybody loves lists....

Yes, it has been a while since I posted but between being out of town for my Grandpa's funeral and a nephew's graduation, reaching the summit of Mount Laundry, and side stepping a landmine better known as "the flu", I am trying to ease back into my normal routine... of being out of town, climbing to the summit of Mount Two Kids, and side stepping a landmine better known as "my life". I know what people mean when they say, I need a vacation from my vacation. I look at my friends too and it seems like everyone is in the midst of some sort of controlled chaos at the moment and we are all just putting on the happy face and walking around like we've got it all under control...we aren't fooling anyone - least of all ourselves! My kids' school is closed today (someone will have to explain to me sometime the actual definition of "professional development" because it sure seems like these teachers have a LOT of it!). At any rate, I am taking the "second shift" at home and I am hoping today to do the one thing that makes me feel on track - make a list. I'm not sure why it is, but for me there is something so powerful about writing down everything that needs done. No matter how long the list is, writing it down seems to make me feel better about it. Some might argue that it stresses them out to see just how behind they are but for me, the longer the list, the more assured I am that nothing is getting left out. Strange I know but it is almost as if just the act of making the list is an accomplishment. I even go so far as to make the first item on my list:

1. Make List

See - already I can cross something off!! And in case you are wondering, yes it is absolutely acceptable, in fact desired, to write down things on your list that you have already done....crossing things off can be soooooo therapeutic. It is my version of encouragement and takes away that feeling of "where do I start" when well looky there (something my Grandpa used to say) I've already started! So for those of you in the midst of chaos...and if you are under the age of 75 - trust me you are not fooling anyone - you're right there with me...my advice today, is to make a list - grocery list, errand list, Christmas list, bucket list (I really want to see that movie - maybe I will add that to my list)...but whatever the list is I know it will make you feel better because everybody loves lists!!

In Memory

My Grandpa Kelly passed away over the weekend so I wanted to write a post in honor of him and what he meant to me. I have very fond memories of the time that I spent with him. Most recently with Jackson and what a kick he seemed to get out of him. I make an annual trip home around the fourth of July and I recall two summers ago watching him and Jackson sit on the front step of their house and do firecracker "poppers" - something I remember doing with him as a kid myself. Over and over Jackson would throw them to the ground in delight and then come running back to Grandpa who was fishing out the good ones from the sawdust like substance that they come in. Fishing was something Grandpa enjoyed and not just the fireworks kind. He would take us shopping as kids for the plastic worms that he used as bait. Always letting my sister and I have one or two worms of our own. We weren't going to do anything with them but we thought they were cool and he loved giving them to us. He would bait our hooks for us and I remember too the first time I saw him clean a fish in the backyard. He also had all kinds of contraptions to do things, most notably for me, smashing cans for recycling. We didn't have a lot of pop around our house growing up but for sure when we went to Grandpa and Grandma Kelly's house there was plenty of it, which lead to plenty of can smashing later. One of my very first and favorite memories of him was when I was really young and we had went to their house for a visit - probably in the summer. We had taken a bath and put on pajamas and I crawled up into his lap in the kitchen, probably for a bedtime snack that I'm sure we weren't supposed to be eating. What I remember is putting my hands in his and telling him "Grandpa look, it takes two of my fingers to be as big as yours". He had big hands - those of a really great football player and they were strong and tan, a contrast not lost on me even as young as I was at the time. Soon after my first child Jackson was born, a preemie, we took at picture of Grandpa holding him and I saw the contrast of those big hands again as Jackson's foot was the size of Grandpa's thumb. These memories and countless others like it are the things I am finding the most comfort in these days along with the peace that comes with knowing that God has graciously taken him into heaven and made whole the body that was so changed by his recent battle with dementia. No, now his hands are once again tan, strong, and looking like those of a great football player. I heard my dad had said recently "I don't know the name of the team, but somewhere in heaven, that team just got a really great fullback" and I would add - one with great hands.

He was always loved and will always be missed. I love you Grandpa!

Attitude is everything...

So I am headed to work this morning and I pull out of the driveway at the usual time of 5:20 am. My nieghbor is apparently headed out of town and catching an early flight at the airport so we give each other a strange stare through the darkness - him because he probably didn't realize that I leave the house this early every morning and me because I never see anyone else leaving their house this early and was surprised by the company. Better to be surprised by him than a snake.

SIDE STORY: Eric comes into the bedroom last night around 9:45 and announces that he just did battle with a snake in our garage which of course prompts me to immediately pause CSI NY (come on people seriously - who doesn't love DVR) and get the full scoop. To my horror he starts the story with "I found him by the Highlander..." (which is the car I drive) and ends the story with "...and so I scooted him out of the garage". While the full story is not important or necessary to tell I will say that in the middle somewhere were words like "he was practically hopping around" and "he was lunging and hissing at me but I don't think he had fangs" and "he was about 12" long and about an inch around". Okay so basically what you are telling me is that in the dark of the morning when I go out to the car for work I need to be sure that the snake you found by my car did not come back which ever way he got in the garage in the first place and now he's really mad so maybe he has tried to make himself even more comfortable by curling up on the seat of the car and all of course while trying to be as quiet as possible so as not to wake our sleeping children!?!? I suppose next you're going to tell me to make sure he's buckled up for the ride to the office!?!? Amidst my barrage of questions, he tried to comfort me with words like "well it's not a rattler" and "I don't think it was poisonous" and "it isn't the bad kind, it will eat mice and bugs". So he only kills the bad kind? The BAD KIND is the SNAKE KIND and the good kind is the dead kind (certainly NOT the "scooted out of the garage" kind)!! Needless to say, I have never gotten into my car and out of the garage so fast in my life....actually now that I think about it, that was probably the reason for my neighbor staring at me - not that fact that it was 5:20 in the morning!!

So back to my original story...On my way to work once, maybe twice a week I go to a Starbucks that is too convenient not to stop (my side of the road, before the freeway, drive thru, love it, etc...). At any rate, it is usually the same person at the drive through window, her name is "JoJo" and she is a sweet lady that is probably in her late 40's/early 50's if I had to guess. She is always in the best mood and this morning was her usual chipper self and while I waited for my tall, non-fat, extra hot, caramel macchiato she engaged me in some very polite conversation about my kids (my two car seats give it away) and winning the Starbucks giveaway (which we are both hoping I do). As I pulled away, I realized how truly rare it is to get such pleasant customer service particularly for that time of the morning....sad commentary on today's world. Makes me think of a comment my mom said this past weekend "you know, I'm getting tired of tipping people for just doing their job" - and this from a lady who has made customer service an art form. She is a "JoJo" for sure! Contrast my pleasant start with JoJo to the second half of my morning commute which included not one, not two, but THREE cars whizzing around me going at least 90-95 mph and giving me a stare like I was a 90 year old grandma who can't see over the steering wheel and out for a Sunday stroll. I watched them frustratedly cut in and out of traffic for several miles...I'm sure giving several other safe drivers the same irritated glare that I got. Now I know it is early in the morning and I know what it is like to wake up late or need to get somewhere but when you live in the DFW metroplex and you commute - you should expect and prepare for traffic. I found myself saying (almost out loud) that those people could use a little JoJo spirit this morning. I guess it just proves the old saying "Attitude is everything and everything is attitude"!! Here's hoping we all have more JoJo's in our day and manage to BE a JoJo to everyone around us (except of course the snakes).

There a 1st time for everything...

I was truly hoping that things would start calming down in my life since work hasn't been quite so hectic as of late. I have decided instead that the "calming down" plan will have to wait until maybe August. I have made that assumption by looking over my planner and determining that in the next nine weekends I have a sum total of TWO that are "free" and even those have tentative plans in the works. While it is filled with exciting trips and things I look forward to doing, it does not help with the "calm down" plan and my desperate need to get organized and have a fresh start (something I have been looking for since the birth of my second child). Since I hadn't posted in a while and hadn't posted pictures in the last several posts I thought I would just at least do that.

This past weekend we went to San Antonio and celebrated my parents 40th wedding anniversary as well as my mom's 60th birthday. Below is a list of a few "firsts" that occurred over the weekend...

1st time in a highchair

Site of 1st National Championship in 20 years - ROCK CHALK JAYHAWKS!

1st time in water (other than the bath)

1st night in a hotel (and a GREAT one at that - Hyatt Hill Country)

1st time feeding dolphins

1st time making and eating s'mores

1st family vacation - what fun!

There is nothing...

There is nothing and I truly mean NOTHING more frustrating then taking a day off work, starting at 6:15 am and never stopping to sit down, and then realizing at 6:15 pm that in spite of my extremely diligent pace, I have not completed my list of things that have to be done!?! Grrrrrr - makes me mad just thinking about it. BUT....

There is also nothing and I truly mean NOTHING like having a husband who comes home from work and dives right in to finish off the remaining items on your to do list. Especially when the remaining items all start with the words "Clean the...". By the time the kids went to bed, I had nothing and I mean nothing (okay I promise that is the last time I will say that) left in my tank, my back was aching and my attitude was rotten. With a dinner party at our house tonight and my parents and grandparents coming this weekend, the house needs to be clean. Cue the husband of the year and that whole other gear that he finds when it comes to cleaning in crunch time. When he sent me to bed, he was still cleaning and when I got up at 4:30 this morning for work, I walked into a clean shower and got ready in a clean bathroom. Praise God for giving me such an amazing man - CLEARLY I need him like nothing and I truly mean nothing (sorry one last time) else in the world!!

Faith and Football

In a day and age where athletes are getting convicted of everything from drugs, assault, DUI, and illegal contributions, how refreshing is it to see a young person like Tim Tebow with his head so squarely on his shoulders. My husband sent me this article and I have to admit that my opinion of Florida football (which was pretty poor) did change. If this young man can stand up for his faith in the midst of the self absorbed, self promoting, corrupt world that college sports can sometimes be....what is my excuse?

Just another manic Monday....

It occurred to me as I started this post out with the title that I am a musical learner. If there was a way to teach brain surgery through music, I think I would be the best brain surgeon in the world! Why is it that I can remember every.single.word. to some random (and some might argue - bad) 80's song by the Bangles and I can't remember my own schedule and events that I have had planned for months. I could blame part of it on the fact that as I get older time keeps on slipping slipping slipping into the future...see - there I go again with the music (although I have regressed to the late 70's now)! Time really does go by faster these days and I am having exceedingly more trouble keeping up. It is extremely frustrating for me as I consider myself a fairly organized and "non-flaky" person. My life has been pretty hectic recently but let's be honest - who's hasn't!?! We are all running around like a bunch of headless chickens, squawking all the while. I will say that I am still managing once in a while to stop (all be it for a millisecond!) and enjoy the things around me. A couple of examples from this weekend...we had a block party in our cul-de-sac and I was reminded of how wonderful it is to have good neighbors. When my husband and I first got married, we thought there was no way we would raise a family in such a big city (I'm from a mid size town and him a super small one). When we moved into this neighborhood a year ago though, I could finally get that smaller town feeling of kids playing in the street or walking down to the neighbors house, etc. At the party I was looking around and just really feeling blessed to live where we do and thinking that maybe it would be possible to capture that feeling of my childhood neighborhood. Another example this weekend was our 5 1/2 month old Gavin. He is at such a great age and just makes me smile at even the smallest things. First, he has started being quite the little roller. "Rolling, rolling, rolling on the river". Seriously - somebody stop me! It is very entertaining to watch because the process is slow and deliberate and he seems almost surprised when he makes it like "wow that's what I was trying to do and hey look - I did it". The other funny thing he is doing now is finding his voice. He will open his mouth and let air pass his vocal cords until a precious little (but loud) "aha" comes out. The tones go up and down and you can tell he is really trying to say something... SO funny to watch and listen to him exploring sounds. Those are the times when the world seems to slow down and you wish "it was Sunday, 'cause that's my fun day, my I don't have to run day...but it's just another manic Monday". (sorry...couldn't help myself) :)

Baseball Fever...

Jackson is playing on a T-ball team this year and he's definitely got baseball fever - BAD! Our whole family is a bunch of sports junkies so it is no surprise that even at age four - Jackson takes it very seriously. You probably read in my previous post that he even gets upset when practice is cancelled. Last year, we painted a football field in the back yard in addition to a baseball diamond. The football field has not been striped off yet (this is the off season you know) but the baseball field has made its first appearance. And as we tend to do where sports are concerned, we have taken it this year to a "whole notha' level" (as Ed would say). Eric (with a little Jackson help) painted the team mascot in our backyard and it is hard to say which one of them is more proud!
(Just click on the pictures for a closer look)



The Painters..... The field..... Up close.....

Here's a few more pictures from one of his first games...



"Mommy, I'm #3 - Just like Babe Ruth!"



"First Base is my favorite"


"Good game...Gooooo CARDINALS!"